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Modernist Movement · English Literature

Which of the following describes the Modernist approach to 'Tradition' according to T.S. Eliot?

  1. A wholesale rejection of all literature written before 1900
  2. A 'historical sense' that perceives the presence of the past within the present
  3. A nostalgic longing to return to the pastoral simplicity of the 18th century
  4. The strict imitation of classical Greek meter, rhyme, and dramatic form
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Correct answer: A 'historical sense' that perceives the presence of the past within the present

In 'Tradition and the Individual Talent,' Eliot argues that the entire corpus of European literature exists as a 'simultaneous order.' A new work gains meaning through its relationship to this existing tradition, requiring writers to possess an acute 'historical sense.'

Difficulty: Medium Question 12 of 20

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